Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Bahareh Davoudabadi ¹
• Amir reza Asnafi ²
• Mohsen Hajizeinolabedini ³

¹ Information Science Department, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

² Shahid Beheshti University

³ Knowledge and Information Science Department, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Purpose: This research aims to analyze experts’ perspectives on applying the metaphorical framework of “contextual autism” to the challenges of the field, identify its current status, and propose solutions for improvement.

Methods: This study adopted a concurrent embedded mixed-methods approach, utilizing the grounded theory strategy for qualitative analysis. The primary tool was a 26-component questionnaire, designed by conceptually mapping the indicators of autism to the historical pathology of the field. Data were collected concurrently (quantitative and qualitative) from 21 prominent experts through purposeful and snowball sampling. Qualitative data were analyzed using a three-stage process of open, axial, and selective coding, leading to a macro-paradigm model.

Findings: Many experts considered the metaphor innovative and effective, believing it could explain challenges such as isolation, weak interactions, resistance to change, and an excessive focus on disciplinary details. The current state of the field is explainable by the characteristics of the “contextual autism” metaphor, with its roots at three levels: causal conditions (inefficient structures in policymaking and traditional education), contextual conditions (individualistic culture, weak social standing, and resource poverty), and intervening conditions (lack of motivation and innovative skills among faculty and students).

Conclusion: Focusing on redefining identity and strengthening reciprocal interactions is essential for restoring the field’s ability to establish dynamic communication aligned with its scientific and social ecosystem.

Originality and Value: Employing the “contextual autism” metaphor to analyze the field of Information and Knowledge Science is an innovative approach that can offer new perspectives for understanding the problems in this domain.

Keywords

• Information Science
• Discipline Pathology
• Contextual Autism
• Professional Interactions
• Disciplinary Identity Reinvention

Main Subjects

• Philosophical and Theoretical Dimensions of Data, Information and Knowledge Studies